20s A Difficult Age (Album)
20s A Difficult Age also marketed as A Peplum Epic: 20s A Difficult Age is the second studio album by recording artist and entrepreneur Marcus Orelias. The album was released by ROTU World exclusively on August 26, 2017 by way of being sent out via text. 20s A Difficult Age would later be released to streaming service, Tidal and other streaming platforms such as YouTube and SoundCloud. Unlike previous debut release Rebel of the Underground (2013), the album was not proceeded by any singles or videos. 20s A Difficult Age features production from main producer Sulyiman (who also makes a vocal appearance), ADOT THE GOD, San Francisco based producer Big Kevin Davis, Keith Dixon and veteran Virginia producer Lee Major and contains 15 songs each heavily conceptual, featuring sound effects via Skywalker Sound and sound designed by Orelias's creative studio, Weird Animal Studios. Vocal features credited on the album include Sulyiman, Stephan Marcellus, OZZIE. and lyre player, Michael Levy. The album spawned the creation of the brand series of the same name. Recording The writing and recording of 20s a Difficult Age began immediately after the release of the debut album Rebel of the Underground in 2013; The first song being written Aset originally titled Guadalupe, a one verse version'' was released in 2014 via SoundCloud. In the same year Marcus would begin working with Chicago based producer and native, Sulyiman. On January 16, 2015 the first full single from ''20s a Difficult Age was released titled Guadalupe produced by West Chester, Pennsylvania music producer AdoTheGod. In the following two months Marcus Orelias revealed the album title would be called 20s a Difficult Age. On April 6, 2016 via his website the album's cover was revealed, featuring a fresco painting of the Capitoline Wolf with graffiti written around it, along with the design credits in Latin. Marcus stated he designed over 100 drafts for the cover in photoshop. Two time Grammy nominated music producer Lee Major was also announced as a main producer for 20s a Difficult Age. Heavily conceptual, many of the songs on the album feature "scenes" accompanied with heavy sound effects, many provided by way of Skywalker Sound in Marin, California. Voice talent was also cast to portray the characters of the peplum epic including Ray Hurd, Tina Marie Murray, Suehyla El-Attar and more. No full singles or videos were released prior to the album's release. On August 1st the track list was revealed via Twitter and snippets previewed August 20, 2017. Composition Musical Themes Music Videos In 2018 videos for Aset ''and ''Blackouts ''were confirmed to be filmed via R.O.T.U. World's instagram. ''Aset ''was confirmed to be directed by director Luis Montoya and snippets shown in his 2018 music video reel and ''Blackouts, directed by Marcus Orelias. On Saturday July 7, 2018 the official video for Aset ''was released. Art The album's cover was designed over 100 times in photoshop from scratch by Marcus Orelias and features the She-Wolf, Rome's iconic representation of the origin story of the city on a blue decaying fresco wall in the Antoninus villa as explained in the song ''Twenties Pt. II: "''Let me tell you the story of Rome. I'll bring this up again when I'm home.'' Matter of fact, Imma paint it on a fresco." - Marcus Orelias (as Marcus Antoninus) Packaged with the album were three concept art pieces. Originally drawn by Orelias, the three concept art pieces were touched up, polished and handled by senior film industry concept and visual effects artist Chris Bonura. Also packaged with the album were character portrait concepts that were referenced by Marcus Orelias and professionally completed by visual artist Cristina Bencina, the characters highlighted were Harnuphis Bukouloi, Domitia Antoninus and Avidius Cassius. The concept art was released all together with the packaging of the album. Each piece of concept of art done by Chris Bonura focused on a central act in the fifteen track album, Mercy of the People, Intermission: The Arrival in Latium and the Antoninus Villa ''and gave visual aid to the scenes that occurred between songs and sometimes in the middle of the songs. Tracklist '''ACT I' # The Danube River.....2:39 # Elysium (Feat. Sulyiman).....5:16 # Blackouts (Feat. Stephan Marcellus).....3:40 # Twenties (Feat. OZZIE.).....9:40 # Prelude: Martyr.....6:06 ACT II # Trichotillomania.....6:34 # Aset (Feat. Michael Levy).....3:41 # Intermission: The Arrival In Latium.....4:05 # Prelude: Capitol.....5:33 # Pompeiii.....2:33 ACT III # Atrium (Feat. Stephan Marcellus).....4:41 # Prelude: Spring (Feat. Michael Levy).....4:35 # Portraits.....5:28 # Fate (Feat. Stephan Marcellus).....4:00 # The Light and Epilogue.....4:41 Voice Over Cast Marcus Orelias as Marcus Antoninus Suehyla El-Attar as Harnuphis Bukouloi Sulyiman as Avidius Cassius Ray Hurd as The Mysterious Man Tina Marie Murray as Domitia Antoninus Paul Sanders as Fronto Paul Bellantoni as Pertinax Chris Hecht as Didius Hillary Hawkins as Annia Antoninus Nate Buursma as Junius Kate Marcin as Somnus Rachael Messer as Volusia Raaginder (Uncredited) as Rama Ragini (Uncredited) as Rai Marcus Orelias as Ego the Demon and The Portrait Maker Continuity Due to the ongoing changes throughout the five years, 20s a Difficult Age has subtle nuances due to people listening and not visually seeing the album. Examples: * In the opening monologue of Elysium Avidius Cassiusrefers to the city of "Latium" - where the album is set - as "Rome" to indoctrinate modern geography so the location is easily known. * There are three time jumps in the album. During and after the song Twenties leading into Prelude: Martyr and between Intermission: The Arrival at Latium and Prelude: Capitol. * Annia Antoninus's name is correctly pronounced (Ah-Nee-Ah) but is also pronounced quickly as (An-Yah). Gallery 4e8d9738e1bbc7ff8fbfce94dc633a0b.707x1000x1.jpg|Final album poster 20s a Difficult Age Album Promo Poster.jpg|Album Promotional Poster 20s a Difficult Age Album Promo Poster 2.jpg|Second Album DE4uRrJUAAAA2I2.jpg-large.jpeg|''20s a Difficult Age'' (Italian Poster) DE4s9JHU0AIKhRn.jpg-large.jpeg|''20s a Difficult Age'' (Italian Banner) DB3gEy1UIAQ_Sg3.jpg-large.jpeg|''20s a Difficult Age'' (Banner) Tumblr static tumblr static 640.jpg|3-D brand logo Logo (Alternative).jpg|2-D brand logo featuring the Pre-Title